


Persephone

by Vulcan_Princess



Series: The Ties That Bind [2]
Category: Star Trek: Deep Space Nine
Genre: Cardassian Occupation, Concentration Camps, Gen, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-12-31
Updated: 2013-12-31
Packaged: 2018-01-06 20:35:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 8
Words: 5,232
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1111223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Vulcan_Princess/pseuds/Vulcan_Princess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What happened during the occupation to make Winn such a hardened individual?</p>
<p>Part of The Ties That Bind series. The end of the Cardassian occupation as told from Winn Adami’s perspective. Takes place in the eight year gap between chapters 2 and 3 of The Ties That Bind.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Prequel to The Ties that Bind. Read The Ties that Bind in its entirety first.

Bajor- 2351 (18 years before the end of the Occupation)

Vedek Teero and Ranjen Winn prepared to leave the monastery to start a new order. They gathered their belongings and walked through the monastery gates. Kai Opaka, Prylar Rhit, and Prylar Bek were there to see them off. Vedek Bareil was conspicuously absent.

As the gates swung shut, Ranjen Winn began to sneeze.

The trip to the site of the new monastery took two days. Winn spent the entire journey sneezing uncontrollably. Teero said, “Does he know?”

“Does who know what?” Winn asked in response.

“Does Vedek Bareil know that you are with child?”

“What makes you think the child is his?”

“Adami, everyone in the monastery knows where you’ve been spending your nights. If you want to go back to him, you have my blessing,” Teero said.

“No. It’s over between us. I will raise this child alone,” Winn said resolutely.

Teero took her hand and said, “Not alone. The whole order will help.”

They made camp for the night and lit a fire for warmth. The fire cast a soothing glow as it crackled in the night air. As they settled in for some rest, Winn sighed heavily.

Teero sat up and said, “Are you alright?”

“No,” Winn replied.

“What’s wrong?”

“It wasn’t supposed to happen like this,” Winn said.

“What wasn’t supposed to happen like what?” Teero asked.

“Have the Prophets ever spoken to you?” Winn asked.

“On occasion,” Teero replied.

“They don’t speak to me,” Winn said.

“Then your faith must be great. You who have never seen the Prophets follow them as diligently as those who have,” Teero said.

“I never thought of it like that before,” Winn said. She continued, “I’ve done something wrong, and I don’t think I can make it right.”

“Do you want to talk about it?” Teero asked.

Winn responded, “No. But I need to.”

Teero waited. Winn continued, “The Prophets speak to Antos. He is favored of them. I thought that if I could get close to him that maybe I could use him to get in touch with the Prophets.”

“Meaning what?”

“I seduced him so that I could manipulate him,” Winn confessed. “I only meant for it to be a one-night stand. I certainly didn’t plan on getting pregnant.”

“Do you love him?” Teero asked.

“He was so gentle, so loving. He made me feel like the most important person in the universe. I should love him,” Winn said.

“But you don’t,” Teero surmised.

“No. I thought I did, but when he got promoted to Vedek, I realized I didn’t. He asked me to stay. I told him no,” Winn said.

“So you made a mistake. You slept with someone for the wrong reasons. We’ve all done that, Adami,” Teero said.

Winn hung her head in shame as she said, “Do you know how old he was when we first started sleeping together?”

Teero shook his head. “Fifteen!” Winn exclaimed. “He was still a child. I took his innocence from him.”

“Adami, I saw how he looked at you. He’s in love. You didn’t take anything from him that he didn’t willingly give,” Teero said.

“He wasn’t even there to say goodbye,” Winn said.

“Would you have been there if your positions were reversed?” Teero asked.

That question hung unanswered in the air for a few minutes. Teero said, “Are you going to tell him about the baby?”

“No,” Winn said.

“He deserves to know,” Teero said.

“It’s my fault I’m in this situation, I’ll deal with it myself,” Winn said resolutely. “And you had better not breathe a word of this to him.”

“I would never violate the sanctity of confession. However, I would urge you to talk to him. This is a heavy burden for a pagh to bear alone.”


	2. Chapter 2

Late the next morning, they arrived at the monastery and were greeted by two Prylars. Teero said, “Prylar Solbor, Prylar Porta, I would like you to meet Ranjen Winn.”

Prylar Solbor was in his early thirties, and Prylar Porta was in his mid-forties. Solbor said, “Prylar Yarka was delayed. He sent word that he should arrive the day after tomorrow.”

They walked inside and Prylar Porta showed them around. The monastery consisted of a library, a temple, a kitchen and dining area, and several sleeping quarters. Ranjen Winn placed her belongings in her room and sat down to rest.

She began to unpack. She had traveled light. She placed a potted bromeliad on her nightstand and sighed wistfully. Bareil had given it to her a year ago. It was the first flower he had successfully grown in the garden.

Her hand drifted to her abdomen as she thought about the new life stirring within her. She started to cry, cursing the hormones that upset her equilibrium. She suddenly got the feeling that she was being watched, and she looked up to discover that she had left the door open. Prylar Solbor stood in the doorway. Embarrassed, Winn wiped the tears away and said, “Please come in. What can I do for you?”

Solbor took a handkerchief out of his pocket and dried Winn’s tears. He said, “A face as lovely as yours should not be marred by sadness.”

Before Winn could respond, she began a fit of sneezing. Solbor handed her the handkerchief. When Winn finished, she said, “Thank you.”

They sat in silence for a few minutes before Winn said, “I apologize. It must be quite disruptive to your quiet monastery to have a sobbing pregnant monk show up.”

“Not at all. Amidst all the death that surrounds us, the Prophets rejoice in new life,” Solbor said.

Winn smiled slightly. She grabbed Solbor’s ear to read his pagh. She saw that he was loyal and trustworthy, totally devoted to the Prophets, and with a strong but humble pagh. She released his ear and they regarded one another. Solbor said, “My sister is a midwife. She lives in the nearby village. If you like, I could ask her to come and examine you to make sure that your baby is healthy.”

“I would appreciate that. Thank you,” Winn said.

After dinner, Winn walked around the monastery. She found Vedek Teero studying in the library, and she entered and sat down. Teero said, “How are you settling in?”

“Fine. How are you settling in?”

“Quite nicely. I think we can make a difference here,” Teero said.


	3. Chapter 3

One morning, a few weeks later, there was a knock at the door. Solbor went to answer it. Upon seeing the visitor, he brightened and gave her a big hug. “Naprem! It’s so good to see you! Thank you for coming.”

“How could I not?” Naprem said with a smile.

Solbor turned to Winn and said, “Ranjen Winn, I would like you to meet my sister, Tora Naprem.”

He then turned back to Naprem and said, “Naprem, I would like you to meet Winn Adami. She has been tutoring me in the word of the Prophets.”

Winn said, “Pleased to meet you.”

Naprem said, “It’s nice to meet you, too. My brother is quite fond of you.”

Solbor blushed and excused himself, leaving Winn and Naprem alone. Winn noticed Naprem’s rounding belly and said, “How long until the blessed event?”

Naprem said, “A few weeks. My husband and I are so excited.”

Winn’s face fell. Naprem noticed and said, “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t be. I brought this on myself.”

Naprem began the examination. She said, “What are your symptoms?”

“I began sneezing a month ago. Other than mood swings and weight gain, I feel fine,” Winn said.

“Do you know when conception occurred?”

Winn blushed as she said, “It could have been one of any number of times.”

“Based on your progression, I suspect you’re about two months along. You should deliver in 10 to 12 weeks,” Naprem said.

Winn put her hand on her stomach. Naprem said, “Do you have any questions about pregnancy or childbirth?”

“Will it hurt?” Winn asked.

“That depends,” Naprem said honestly. “If the child’s father is Bajoran, no. It will be a peaceful and pleasant experience. If the father is Cardassian, then your immune system will cause swelling that may be painful during birth. I don’t know about other species.”

Winn relaxed. “He’s Bajoran.”


	4. Chapter 4

Winn and Teero began making inroads with the local resistance cell operating out of the village. The monastery became a safe meeting place to plan raids and to hide from the Cardassians. For the first time since she became a monk, Winn felt like she was making a difference.

Winn walked, though due to the advanced stage of her pregnancy it was more like a waddle, toward the library. She saw Solbor studying and said, “What are you reading?”

“Prophecies about the Reckoning. I’m looking forward to the thousand years of peace and prosperity. I only hope that I live to see it,” Solbor said.

“As do I,” Winn said. She grabbed Solbor’s ear and said, “The Prophets are smiling on you. You will play a large role in the events leading up to the Reckoning.”

Solbor smiled. Winn felt a pang in her abdomen and said, “It’s time.”

Solbor helped Winn to her room and summoned Naprem. Teero, Porta, and Yarka were present as well, ringing chimes to create a relaxing atmosphere. An hour later, those gathered said the ancient ritual words, “Welcome, child. We await you with love!”

Naprem handed the infant to Winn and said, “Congratulations! It’s a girl.”

“What will you call her?” Porta asked.

“Niva,” Winn said.

Teero said, “Let the Prophets witness the birth of Winn Niva.”


	5. Chapter 5

Three months later:

Teero, Porta, and Yarka were away visiting other monasteries. Winn was nursing Niva. Niva fell asleep, and Winn was eager to take a walk. She headed down the hall and heard sobs coming from Solbor’s room. His door was left open, so Winn walked in and sat down next to him. She took his handkerchief out of her pocket and handed it to him. “What is wrong?”

“The Cardassians raided the village in an attempt to squash the resistance. They killed my nephew and brother-in-law,”

“I’m so sorry,” Winn said. “How is Naprem handling it?”

“She is numb. They had only been married for a few months. She shouldn’t have to be a widow so young,” Solbor said.

They heard a crash as the front door of the monastery flew open. Three Cardassian soldiers stormed the sanctuary. They systematically searched the empty rooms before they reached Solbor’s room. Winn sent a silent prayer to the Prophets to protect her daughter. As the soldiers walked in, Winn said, “How dare you defile this monastery with your weapons?!”

One of the soldiers scoffed as he said, “You’re one to talk. Your Vedek is responsible for the capture of several soldiers and the destruction of one of our barracks. Show us your weapons stash!”

“We have no weapons. We are neutral and devoted solely to the Prophets. We do not support either side of your war,” Solbor lied.

“Where is Vedek Teero?” the soldier demanded.

“He isn’t here,” Winn said.

“If you’re lying...” the soldier trailed off.

Another soldier leered at Winn and said, “No matter. I’m sure you’ll be a more... valuable prisoner.”

The soldier reached to grab Winn’s arm. Solbor jumped up and shouted, “No!”

The third soldier hit Solbor in the head with the butt of a rifle, knocking him unconscious. The soldiers dragged Winn out of the monastery and into a transport vehicle.

The vehicle moved for a few hours and then came to a stop. The soldiers hauled Winn out of the transport and into a processing facility. She looked around and saw hundreds of Bajorans in line, waiting to be processed. Several stern, heavily armed Cardassian guards stood around the perimeter.

After getting through processing, Winn was tossed into a small, dank room with three other women and a sleeping infant. One of the women whispered, “Hello. I’m Els Rahl.”

“Winn Adami.”

Els noticed Winn’s attire and said, “Are you a Ranjen?”

“Yes,” Winn said.

“Then it’s true. The Prophets have abandoned Bajor. They won’t even protect their monks,” Els said with resignation.

“The Prophets will never abandon Bajor,” Winn said with conviction. “They will, in their own time, rain retribution on our oppressors.”

The infant awoke and began to wail. Els said, “Tell that to this baby. His mother died last night. He’ll starve to death because there’s no food for him.”

Winn picked the infant up. As she brought the baby to her breast, she thought about Niva. The baby stopped crying and sighed contentedly as he enjoyed his meal.

Winn said, “We should come up with an escape plan. I have contacts in the resistance, and there’s plenty of room in my order’s monastery.”

Els gave a small laugh as she said, “You really don’t know, do you? Nobody escapes Gallitep.”

Three days later, the infant began to be listless. He was running a fever, and he wouldn’t stop crying. Winn stuck her head out the door and addressed the guard. “This baby is sick. He needs medicine.”

“Why should I care? He’s a Bajoran,” the soldier said dismissively.

“You should care because it’s the right thing to do,” Winn said.

Winn staggered back as the soldier slapped her across the face. “Impudent woman! You will not speak to me with such disrespect.”

Winn gave him a haughty glare as she said, “The Prophets themselves have commissioned me to speak the truth. I will continue to do so until my last breath.”

“You’re a feisty one,” the guard said with a lascivious gaze. “Come with me. I’ll get you the medicine.”

The guard dragged Winn out of the room. When she returned, she silently gave the infant the needed medicine.

Els looked at Winn’s bruises and said, “Why are you willing to go through all that for someone else’s child?”

Winn didn’t respond.

In the middle of the night, Winn awoke to nurse the baby. His fever flared up again, and in a short time, he was gone. She began to dig a grave to give him a proper burial. As she began the death chant, she thought about Niva.

She began to be angry. She decided that it was all Antos’s fault. If he hadn’t stumbled into the monastery, none of this would have happened. She never would have gotten pregnant. She would have been offered Teero’s position and wouldn’t have had to leave the monastery. She wouldn’t have been captured by the Cardassians, torn from her daughter, and forced to sell herself for medicine for another woman’s dying baby. If she ever saw that cursed Vedek again, she would spit in his face.

Her anger gave her strength. She finished the death chant as the sun came up, and as the new day dawned, she began to formulate a plan for life in the camp.


	6. Chapter 6

The days began to flow together. Cellmates came and went, and Winn never knew what became of them. If Els knew, she wasn’t saying. Winn spent her time discreetly preaching. Word spread throughout the camp, and the place brightened with hope for deliverance.

The prisoners began resisting the Cardassians. Soon the guards discovered who was behind it. They hauled Winn into a large room with cement walls. Several Bajorans were lined up, cowering in fear.

A guard addressed Winn. “Prisoner 368547, you stand accused of fomenting rebellion in the camp.”

Winn glared at the guard and said, “My name is Ranjen Winn Adami. I have not been fomenting rebellion; I have been teaching the word of the Prophets.”

The guard slapped her across the face. “Silence! You are not permitted to speak.”

The guard continued, “The penalty for this crime is death. However, if I kill you, you’ll become a martyr. The last thing I need is a rallying point for the prisoners.”

The guard motioned to other guards who pulled out phasers and shot the Bajorans lined up on the wall. “You and your Prophets killed them,” the guard said.

“Murderer!” Winn shrieked.

The guard began to beat her. After three blows, he dragged her back to her cell. She sat and attempted to meditate to cleanse her mind, but it was no use. She was haunted by the faces of the dead. She began the death chant and petitioned the still-silent Prophets to welcome their souls into the Celestial Temple.

* * *

The preaching continued, and so did the beatings. Every bruise became a badge of honor for Winn, proof of her connection to the Prophets, even though she could still not hear their voice.

Four years passed. On the eve of Peldor, there was a prisoner uprising. The prisoners sabotaged the ore processor, causing it to explode, spewing molten slag into the air. Cries of, “This is a holy time!” and, “Bless the Prophets!” rang through the air as mayhem spread through the camp. As the rocks burned, people began to throw renewal scrolls into the pyre.

The celebration was short-lived. People began to fall ill with a new disease named Kalla-Nohra Syndrome. It was caused by a burned respiratory tract, and symptoms included coughing of blood, and suffocation from damaged alveoli. Prisoners died painfully by the thousands, but death was a welcome rest from the suffering. Winn was fortunate enough to be spared, and she continued to spread the word of the Prophets while caring for the sick.

The guards came to Winn’s cell and hauled her out again. “This is all your fault. Your teachings are breeding terrorists!”

Winn said nothing. “What’s the matter? Vole got your tongue? You’re usually ready with a cutting remark,” the guard said.

“It won’t make a difference. You’ll beat me no matter what I say,” Winn said defiantly.

The guard stepped closer, ran his hand along her cheek, and said, “This time, you have a choice as to whether or not we’re going to beat you.”


	7. Chapter 7

Winn was returned to her cell that evening, battered and bleeding. Els began to tend her wounds and said, “Adami, what happened?”

“Apparently the Cardassians thought that the beatings weren’t enough incentive for me to stop preaching,” Winn said.

Winn continued preaching. A month later, she woke up in the middle of the night in a fit of sneezing. The noise woke Els up, and Els said, “Are you okay?”

“I think so. I don’t know what came over me. I haven’t sneezed this much since I was...” Realization dawned. “Oh, Prophets.”

Winn’s hand drifted to her abdomen as she began to sob.

As the months passed, her belly began to swell. She continued to preach, and the guards mostly left her alone. It would seem that even the most brutal Cardassians were still squeamish about hitting a pregnant woman.

One afternoon, a series of explosions rang through the air, followed by phaser fire. The guards ran toward the explosion, leaving the cell unguarded. Winn and Els hurried outside to see what was happening.

The forcefield that surrounded the camp had been damaged, and a group of 50 or so resistance fighters had opened fire. Unconscious soldiers littered the ground. The fighters were directing the prisoners through the north gate.

Winn and Els were near the south gate, and they saw four resistance fighters nearby - two men, a woman, and a girl in her early teens. One of the men motioned for them to follow through the south gate. They quickened their pace, and just as they reached the gate, one of the soldiers regained consciousness and shot Els in the back. She fell to the ground, dying instantly. The teenage girl shot the soldier and motioned to Winn to keep moving.

They moved through the underbrush for an hour before stopping to make camp for the night. Winn said, “Thank you for rescuing me. The Prophets will bless you for your kindness.”

One of the men scoffed and said, “The Prophets have nothing to do with this occupation. If they did, the Cardassians would be gone.”

Winn grabbed the man’s ear and said, “One day you’ll answer their call. What is your name?”

“Latha Mabrin,” the man said.

“I’m Winn Adami,” Winn said.

The woman spoke up and said, “Is there somewhere we can help you get to? Your home, perhaps?”

“There’s a monastery about a day’s journey from here. I’m a Ranjen there,” Winn said.

Winn suddenly clutched her abdomen and said, “It’s time.”

They sprung into action. The girl ran to get a wet rag, while the men fanned out on the perimeter to stand guard. The woman pressed the rag to Winn’s forehead and said, “My name is Lupaza. You’re going to be just fine.”

Lupaza turned to the girl and said, “Nerys, run along. Help stand guard.”

As the contractions came, Winn fought the urge to scream. She remembered the gentle warning delivered by Tora Naprem what seemed like a lifetime ago. ‘If the father is Cardassian, then your immune system will cause swelling that may be painful during birth.’

Labor continued for three hours before the baby emerged. As Winn breathed a sigh of relief, she looked up at Lupaza. Lupaza had tears streaming down her face as she said, “I’m so sorry. He was stillborn.”

Winn began to sob for a third child torn from her by this occupation. One born from love, one born of another, and one born from pain. Lupaza went to the perimeter to give Winn privacy to conduct the death chant.

As she finished the chant, she felt a pair of eyes watching her. She looked up to see the girl Lupaza had called Nerys regarding her with amazement. Winn said, “Yes, child?”

Nerys took that as an invitation and sat down. She said, “What’s it like being a Ranjen? I don’t get a chance to talk about religion very often. I’m the only one in the resistance cell who believes in the Prophets.”

A jumble of scenes coursed through her mind. Gallitep. Beatings. Solbor sobbing over the death of his family. Silent orbs. She took a deep breath and said, “It’s a calling from the Prophets. I used to live in a monastery, where I studied the holy books, preached, and helped out the resistance.”

Nerys nodded solemnly. Winn noticed the earring that Nerys wore and said, “I don’t recognize your family crest. What clan are you from?”

“I come from the Dakur province, along with the rest of this resistance cell. My family name is Kira. Before the occupation, they followed the artist D’jarra, but when the war is over, I’m going to be a Vedek,” Nerys said.

Winn grabbed Kira’s ear. After a moment, she said, “The Prophets have a great work for you. You will stand at the right hand of their Emissary.”

Kira sat in awe, contemplating this prophecy.

In the morning, they awoke. Lupaza said, “Mabrin, Nerys, head back to the rendezvous point. Furel and I will escort the Ranjen back to her monastery and we’ll meet up with you in a few days.”

All present nodded their assent, and the trio headed through the foliage in the direction of the monastery. They arrived by nightfall and Winn timidly knocked on the door. The door swung open and Winn got choked up as she saw Solbor wearing a purple robe.

Solbor regained the power of speech first. “Adami! Is that really you?”

She nodded. Solbor remembered his manners and said, “Come in!”

The three of them walked in. Solbor turned to Winn and said, “I kept your room just how you left it. I always knew you would come back to us.”

“Where are the others?” Winn asked.

“Vedek Teero is away at a meeting of the Vedek Assembly. Prylar Yarka and Prylar Porta are on a retreat,” Solbor said.

Winn almost couldn’t bear to ask the next question. “And Niva?”

“She’s safe, but she’s not here,” Solbor said.

Winn sank down into a chair, numb from the emotional roller-coaster of the past few days. Solbor took her by the hand and said, “You should rest.”

Winn didn’t argue, and she allowed Solbor to lead her down the hall to her room. She climbed into bed and fell immediately into a deep sleep. Solbor returned to the parlor and said, “Thank you so much for returning Adami. I’ve been worried sick since she was taken from us.”

“You’re welcome,” Lupaza said.

“Please stay the night. It’s dangerous to travel at this hour,” Solbor said.

They nodded. Lupaza said quietly, “Ranjen Winn has been through a lot. Yesterday, she gave birth to a stillborn half-Cardassian baby.”

Solbor gasped before cursing out every Cardassian soldier to set foot on Bajor, and consigning the father of the baby to a special place with the pagh-wraiths for eternity.

On that somber note, Solbor showed Furel and Lupaza to sleeping quarters. As they entered their rooms, he said goodnight. He walked down the hall to check on Winn and saw that she was still asleep. He sat down in a chair next to her bed and watched her, thanking the Prophets that she was alive.

In the morning, Winn awoke to sunlight streaming through her window. She saw that Solbor had left a clean robe hanging for her, and she heard voices down the hall.

Breakfast dishes clinked as Solbor said, “I can’t thank you two enough for bringing Adami back.”

Furel said, “It was our pleasure, Ranjen Solbor. Ranjen Winn is fortunate to have a home to go to.”

A tear ran down Winn’s cheek as she realized that in her absence, she had been replaced. In one fell swoop, the Cardassians had taken her daughter and her job. She regained her composure, bathed, got dressed, and headed to the kitchen. Solbor handed her a plate of food and said, “Here, I saved you some breakfast. I’m sure you must be hungry.”

“Thank you,” Winn said as she began to eat.

Furel and Lupaza departed, and Winn and Solbor were left alone. Solbor said, “Vedek Teero and Prylars Yarka and Porta should be returning tomorrow. They will be so happy to see you.”

“Where is Niva?” Winn asked again.

“She is safe, Adami. I can promise you that. I sent her somewhere where she will never be harmed,” Solbor said.

“The Cardassians are occupying our whole world. How can you promise that?”

“She isn’t on Bajor,” Solbor said. “And before you ask if you can contact her, the answer is no. If the Cardassians knew you had a child, they would harm her to get to you. Our order has been greatly persecuted in your absence. The Cardassians know we’re with the resistance.”

Winn dropped the subject for the time being. That evening, the others returned. When the door creaked open, Teero said, “Ranjen Solbor, we have returned early.”

Solbor said, “Welcome home. I will have dinner ready shortly.”

Teero walked in and saw Winn sitting next to Solbor. He walked over and said, “Adami! Thank the Prophets.”

Yarka and Porta came over to offer their greetings as well. They all sat down to dinner. Prylar Yarka said, “Where were you all these years? We thought we would never see you again.”

“Gallitep,” Winn said.

Everyone at the table gasped. Porta broke the silence and said, “Is it as bad there as they say?”

Quietly, Winn said, “It’s worse.”


	8. Chapter 8

Bit by bit, Winn settled back into monastery life. Vedek Teero began to disappear for long stretches of time. When Winn questioned him on his absences, he only said, “It’s classified.”

During Teero’s absences, Winn ran the monastery. She opened a school for the village children and taught them in the ways of the Prophets. At night, she processed communiqués that had been intercepted and recorded during the day.

After three years had passed, there was a knock on the door of the monastery. Ranjen Solbor answered it, and when he saw their guest, he bowed and said, “Kai Opaka, you honor us with your presence.”

Opaka stepped inside and said, “I would like to speak to each of the monks individually.”

“Of course, Eminence. Right away,” Solbor said.

Each monk spoke with the Kai in private, from the lowest ranking to the highest ranking. Winn fidgeted in the library while she awaited her turn. Finally, Opaka led her into an office and said, “Ranjen Winn, do you know why I’m here?”

“No, Eminence.”

“I have some questions about Vedek Teero.”

There was a pause, then Opaka continued, “How much time does he spend at the monastery?”

“Very little. He is gone for weeks at a time.”

“Do you know what he does when he is gone?”

“Some of the time, he is with the Vedek Assembly. I asked him once what he does the rest of the time, and he said it was classified. I suspect he is working with the resistance, but I don’t know what he does.”

Opaka reached for Winn’s ear. After squeezing it briefly, she said, “You speak the truth. Your pagh is strong.”

Opaka let silence hang in the air for a moment before speaking again. “Teero has been conducting mind control experiments on captured Cardassian soldiers. He has been defrocked and dismissed from the Vedek Assembly. The purpose of the interviews was to find out if any other members of the order were involved. I am convinced that he acted alone. Will you replace him as a member of the assembly?”

Winn smiled inwardly. Finally. The Prophets were smiling on her. “I would be honored.”

The monks gathered in the sanctuary. Kai Opaka said to those gathered, “Vedek Teero has resigned for personal reasons. In his absence, a successor must be appointed. Ranjen Winn, please come forward.”

Winn stepped forward, now dressed in Vedek robes.

“Ranjen Winn, you have served the Prophets faithfully for many years. Will you accept the great responsibility of leading this order?”

“I will.”

“Do you pledge to guide in love those monks who serve with you?”

“I do.”

“Do you vow to serve all the people of Bajor as a member of the Vedek Assembly?”

“I do.”

Opaka pronounced these words. “Let the Prophets and those assembled bear witness. I present to you Vedek Winn.”

The next morning, Vedek Winn traveled to the capital city. When she arrived on the grounds of the assembly, she saw a very familiar figure in an orange robe. They walked toward each other, and as they got close, Winn saw that the years had been kind to him. He had grown into a handsome man.

She remembered her earlier promise to spit on him if she ever saw him again, but as he drew near, he said reverently, “Adami.”

Her anger was forgotten as she said, “Antos. It’s been a long time.”

He reached out to read her pagh, and as his hand touched her ear, it felt like electricity. Unbidden, their nights together flashed before her mind’s eye. Then the pain of having Niva ripped from her returned, and she remembered why she was so angry with him.

She stepped back and said coolly, “Vedek Bareil. Do not assume that just because we are once again equals that you have permission to touch me.”

Bareil dropped his hand as he said flatly, “Of course. Let me be the first to welcome you to the assembly, Vedek Winn.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The end.
> 
> I still have another prequel or two and a sequel in the works, but no guarantee on when they'll appear.


End file.
